Swiss star athletes head to Goodwill Games
Switzerland's Olympic gold medallist, Brigitte McMahon, is one of more than a thousand world-class athletes warming up to participate in the Goodwill Games in Australia, which begin on Wednesday.
About 1,300 athletes from some 70 countries will compete in Brisbane from August 29 to September 9 for the SFr9 million in prize money.
The games feature 14 sports events, including athletics, swimming, diving, surf lifesaving, figure skating, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, boxing, beach volleyball, basketball, cycling (track), trampoline, triathlon and weightlifting.
McMahon is set to compete in the triathlon on September 2, just three months after giving birth to her second child. The triathlete won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics last year.
Patrick Heuscher and Stefan Kobel will play in the beach volleyball competition. The duo are not likely to be overshadowed by their compatriots, the powerful Laciga brothers, who are ranked fifth in the world standings.
Other international star athletes scheduled to compete in Brisbane include the king and queen of the 100m sprint, Maurice Greene and Marion Jones of the United States.
The Games were founded by the American media mogul Ted Turner in 1986, and this will be the first time they will be held outside the US or Russia.
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